How to Grow Red Delicious Apple Trees

Report This Article

How to Grow Red Delicious Apple Trees

Overview

Red Delicious apples are America's favorite red apple, according to the Arbor Day Foundation. The fruit is crisp, tender and juicy, with a mild flavor. The trees grow in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8. Having them in your backyard ensures you endless supplies of fresh fruit for months at a time. Red Delicious apple trees are hardy and will thrive if planted correctly.

Step 1

Buy a red delicious apple tree sapling that is 1 year old and between 4 and 6 feet tall. Check it over to make sure the roots look healthy. Smaller trees are easier to plant, so this is the ideal size.

Step 2

Plan to plant the apple trees between late fall and early spring. Fill a container with water 24 hours before planting. Soak the sapling's roots for 1 day if they seem dry.

Step 3

Choose a planting location that gets at least six to eight hours of sunlight every day. Red delicious grow well in acidic, moist or well-drained soil. The apple trees can grow between 10 and 25 feet high, so check to make sure there is nothing overhead it will someday hit.

Step 4

Dig a hole that is twice as wide as the sapling's root ball, and 2 feet deep. Add 1 to 2 inches of loose soil to the bottom of the planting hole.

Step 5

Scrape the sides of the hole with the sharp edge of your shovel. Loosening the soil will allow the roots to grow and expand better.

Step 6

Center the sapling in the hole and spread out the roots by hand. Be careful not to rip them. Make sure they are not crowded or tangled. If they are, make the hole even wider until they have sufficient space to lie flat.

Step 7

Backfill the hole with the removed dirt. Press it down to eliminate air pockets as you fill it back in. There is no need to enhance the soil with fertilizer. The food can over-nourish a young red delicious tree.

Step 8

Stick at least one tree stake into the ground next to the base of the Red Delicious apple tree. It should be parallel to the trunk. Secure it to the tree with wire or rope. This will give the tree support and help it grow straight up. It's best to use two or three stakes, spaced evenly around the tree.

Step 9

Water the soil until it is moist several inches down. This will break up any air pockets that remain and get the stimulate the roots.

Things You'll Need

Tree sapling

Water

Container

Shovel

Tree stakes

Rope or wire

References

North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service: Growing Apple Trees in the Home Garden

What Price?: How to Grow Apple Trees

Arbor Day Foundation: Apple, Red Delicious

Keywords:
grow red delicious, red delicious, grow apple trees

About this Author

Kelly Shetsky has been a broadcast journalist for more than ten years, researching, writing, producing and reporting daily on many topics. In addition, she writes for several websites, specializing in medical, health and fitness, arts and entertainment, travel and business-related topics. Shetsky has a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from Marist College.